Mending
by letgolaughing
Summary: A quick little tale of a queen with her thief and a princess trying to make things right.


**This was a birthday request for my faithful junkie Mich! I am a few days late and for that I am sorry. But I hope you enjoy it all the same :) Happy belated birthday!**

* * *

Again. Again with the prodding, again with the stubborn determination. How many times would she have to deny his request for such information before he took the hint. She did not wish to talk about it. Especially there. "This is not the time or place for such a conversation, Robin," she denied with a warning in her tone. A warning that he took the wrong way.

"No, Regina, every time we so much as broach the topic of children you completely shut down! I want to know why."

"I don't want to talk about it here," she snapped but he pressed forward and she rolled her eyes toward the loft in Snow's home.

"Do you not want children? You are wonderful with Henry and Roland, I just assumed you would be thrilled with more but if I am wrong then please just tell me and I will back off!"

"No, I would love more children, Robin," she seethed and he laughed in confusion as he exclaimed. Never in her life had she ever wanted the Charmings to walk through that door and join their company more than she did right then. Honestly, how long did it take to bring home groceries.

"Then what is the problem I am failing to see?!"

"Robin, _enough_!"

"Regina, just tell me!"

"Not here, Robin!"

"Are you unable to bear a child?!"

"Yes!" She cried out and he immediately fell silent and sobered his frustrated expression. Her chest ached with the confession and she couldn't bear to look him in the eye. Not when he looked like his whole future had crumbled beneath his feet. So her eyes fell to her fidgeting hands in front of her, "I cannot have children."

"...How do you know? Have you tried?" He asked with a sincere kindness and curiosity and she laughed as though he was a fool and shook her head but didn't speak a word in reply. "Regina," he pressed a little firmer for an answer and it was just slightly too strong a tone for she outright snapped.

"Of course I know, Robin! I am the one who made it so! _I_ brewed the potion, _I_ poured it in a goblet, and _I_ am the one who drank it! I cannot have children! So do what you will with that _delightful_ piece of information!" she shouted and knew it was an unreasonably aggressive response but she was panicking. She didn't want him to leave her. And if children was what he wanted from her, how was she to keep him there? She would give him as many children as he desired if she were able. But she wasn't. And that was a heavy stone in her heart. One that pricked tears in her dark eyes as Robin tilted his head in something akin to disappointment.

There was something else in his gaze as well but she didn't give herself time to figure it out for something had caught her attention over Robin's shoulder. Snow White. Standing in the door to her apartment with a dumbstruck look on her face that let Regina know she had been exposed to the details of her and Robin's argument. It infuriated her. So with a slight jut forward of her jaw, she shot an overly harsh glare at Robin and then stepped around him and made quick work of escaping his and Snow's suffocating stares.

Snow was very quick to step out of Regina's way and promptly looked down when she shot her her very own glare. She had no idea Regina couldn't have children. The thought had never really crossed her mind. She had just assumed that she had adopted Henry because time didn't move in Storybrooke during the curse. That and she didn't have a true partner to help with the actual conception of the child. But she had never put any deeper thought in to it. She had never needed to. And then she and Robin were standing in her flat staring at one another with no words to say. It seemed he was just as surprised by the knowledge as she was. But he should be following Regina.

"What's up with Regina?" David asked as he stepped inside the flat and placed the groceries on the table, "she looked pretty upset," he noted and when he looked up it was because Snow had cleared her throat and then Robin was sprinting out the door calling Regina's name. It left David standing in confusion with his hands in the grocery bags and his eyes on the empty door frame. And then he looked to his wife who looked to be recovering from shock as well as deep in thought.

"...What happened?" He asked quietly and then questioned, "is dinner off?"

"We'll reschedule it," she dismissed and David pouted a little. She knew he had been looking forward to the dinner more than anyone else. He would never admit it was because he liked Robin and Regina but it was because he liked Robin and Regina. "I need your help with something."

"Can we reschedule it for like...tomorrow?"

"David," she scolded and he sighed and turned to fully face her.

"What do you need help with?"

...

"Robin's been looking for you everywhere, you know," Snow smiled a little and Regina jumped at the sound of her voice.

"I don't want to talk to him right now," she murmured and looked back out at the ocean while Snow nodded. "How did you find me?"

"I talked to Henry," she answered and Regina nodded back. Then with a deep breath, Snow sat herself down on the grass next to Regina, behind them the site of Henry's old castle that Regina had had torn down when Emma had first come to town. That had been years ago now. It was strange how quickly time flew.

Without a word, Snow pushed a blanket to Regina and without a word in reply, Regina took it and gratefully wrapped it around her shoulders and Snow did the same with one of her own. Then she pushed a thermos in to Regina's view and the woman frowned at it before hesitantly taking it in to her care.

Regina watched curiously as Snow turned and reached in to the basket she didn't notice she had been carrying and pulled out a thermos for herself and settled in beside her with a long contented sigh. If she had ever been told that she would be willingly sitting by the ocean watching the sun set with Snow White under a blanket with what she could only assume to be hot chocolate in a thermos, Regina would have laughed in their face and dressed them up as a jester to humour her further.

But now it didn't seem too out of the ordinary. It was just Snow White being Snow White. So Regina unscrewed the lid to her thermos and was rewarded with the sweet smell of steamy hot chocolate. She would be lying if she said it didn't soothe her but she wasn't about to tell Snow that. "I don't want to talk about it," she told her instead and Snow completely ignored her.

"It was just a bit of a shock to him, Regina," she told her and Regina sighed irritably at the blatant disregard for her request. "I mean news like that would cause any aspiring father to stumble on his words," she chuckled a little with a shake of her head and unscrewed her thermos, "or any man in general really. They never respond the way we want them to or _when_ we want them to. They're just a little slower in the language processing part of their brains," she commented with a playful tone but Regina didn't bite. Merely frowned in to her hot chocolate.

"He _loves_ you, Regina."

"Sure. Now. But what about later. When he decides he truly wants children and I am no longer enough."

"You are more than enough, Regina," she scolded mildly and Regina gave a small shake of her head and kept her eyes on her thermos, "he's got his hands full with you," she teased and Regina stayed silent. "And if he decides he really wants kids then you two can adopt a whole clan of them," she shrugged and Regina shook her head.

"They wouldn't be his."

"If you think for one second that Robin wouldn't love any adopted child as if it were his own blood, then you don't know him at all," Snow pressed and Regina stayed silent do she knew she was right. "You two will figure it out," she encouraged while Regina sighed and stared in to her thermos.

"There are so many things. So much baggage I carry...with every new piece he finds I fear it will be the one that sends him away," Regina confessed quietly with a distressed furrow of her brow, "I am most afraid he will run from this."

"Well no one else is," Snow assured in amusement and then laughed a little, "he's an absolute wreck without you. On my way here I had to threaten to get David to lock him in a cell before he completely embarrassed himself wandering the streets calling your name," she chuckled lightly and earned herself a small smile from Regina. "Honestly I don't think he'd make it without you. You've made too big an impression on him. And he loves you. You. Not the idea of you pregnant with his children. I mean sure it was maybe a little dream of his but not why he fell in love with you. That would be weird," she noted and Regina puffed a single small laugh that made Snow smile, "he's helpless without you. So don't worry about him leaving. Besides, I've watched you two together, neither one of you are going anywhere without the other."

"I don't trust myself not to ruin this."

"You won't. You couldn't if you tried."

"You sound so very sure."

"I am sure. Now drink up," she nodded and Regina adjusted her grip, "you've got a thief to go home to," she smirked and then tipped herself in to bump her shoulder against Regina's.

And then she watched Regina take her first sip and smiled.

...

When Regina had gotten home Robin was nowhere to be found. Roland was asleep in his room and Henry was just heading off to bed himself when she had walked in the door. She had hugged him tight and he had asked her what was wrong but she merely shook her head and told him she loved him. She was tired and dreading the conversation she was going to have with Robin when he returned.

He had apparently been home for quite awhile but Henry had told her that as soon as Roland had fallen asleep, Robin had gone back out to look for her. And now Henry was in bed and she was in the shower. Massaging the conditioner in to her hair and soaking in the heat of the water against her chest and stomach. It had been a long night and perhaps she had nearly quadrupled her regular time in the shower but that didn't matter.

The hot water soothed the tired ache of the tension her shoulders had been holding all day and no one was going to tell her to hurry up and get out. So she took her time and kept her eyes closed so she could better focus on the soothing hot water pouring over her and rinsing her hair clean. It felt good and if she focused on the delightful water pressure against her skin, she could almost forget what she was hiding from. Almost.

But her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of her bedroom door opening and closing and she frowned as she rinsed the last of the conditioner from her hair and stepped further in to the water. She wanted the dread to wash away once more. But she didn't get more than a few more seconds by herself.

She gasped and turned when the shower door was yanked open and irritation and confusion twisted her face when Robin barged in scowling and fully clothed. And then she scoffed and looked him up and down while the steam billowed around him with the stark contrast of temperature through the open shower door. "Robin, what the hell are you d-?!" Her lashing was cut short when he took her head in his hands and kissed her. She gasped at the contact and her hands lifted in shock but she didn't stop him. She just stood dumbstruck as his soddening clothes and strong frame pressed up against her.

And then he took a step forward and pushed her back to the cold tiles of the shower wall and she whimpered a little at the gesture but started to kiss him back nonetheless. She was confused but relieved and as she moved her feet to stand on the toes of his wet leather boots to keep herself from slipping, he broke the kiss and tipped his forehead against hers. She had always loved watching the water find its path down his stubbled jaw and right then was no exception as the hot water sprayed their sides and her arms slowly wrapped around his neck.

"You are getting your clothes wet," she scolded but her commanding tone was lost along with the will to be away from him. Who had she been kidding? There was no hope in avoiding this man. Not when he made her feel the way he did. So alive and eager.

"That is not important," he told her sharply for it was so foolish of her to even think that the state of his clothing would ever take priority over her. She did not take offence to his tone. He felt her brow furrow against his in a way that told him she was frowning and he rubbed his thumb over her cheek as she nuzzled her nose in to the side of his. "Are you okay?" He asked slowly and softly for his love and concern for her ran deeper than anything he had ever felt and he wanted so desperately for her to be okay.

Regina wanted to say yes. She wanted to be strong, she wanted to tell him everything was fine. But that would have been a lie. So despite not being fully convinced to share her honest answer, her heart pushed her voice from her lips, "no."

He didn't know that a word so small would ever break him as it did right then. It broke his heart. With a frown he slid his hands from her face and instead hugged her close as she did the same. She wrapped her arms tighter around his neck and buried her face in to his neck and he just could not help but love her more than ever before. Especially when the pressure on the toes of his boots grew a little heavier when she rose on to her tip toes to hug him better. He adored her more than words could ever express.

"I am sorry I pushed so hard," he apologized softly and she shook her head just a little.

"I should have told you sooner," she replied and his fingers combed through and took hold of her wet hair to keep her where she was.

"Why didn't you?"

"I was afraid," she breathed and pressed her eyes shut even tighter for she was still very much afraid.

"Of what?"

"Of losing you," she answered with a tight and subtle quiver in her voice. But not one subtle enough to go unnoticed. When he started to pull away from her she denied him any such permission and hugged her arms even tighter and rose on her toes even higher as she buried her face further in to his neck.

Robin's frown fell deeper as she clung to him and it made him pause and so he could let her hold him close a little longer as he persuaded her to let go. With gentle caresses and tender kisses upon her shoulder and neck and fingers combing through her wet hair, he coaxed her and kindly spoke, "look at me, Regina."

And she did. Without hesitation and without argument, she carefully lifted her head and loosened her arms only enough to allow him space for his eyes to focus on hers. But she wouldn't dare let go of him. "I love you, Regina," he told her with as much dedication he could fit in his voice and her dark eyes darted between his while small drops of water latched themselves to her lashes. "Am I disappointed that you cannot bear a child? Yes. I will not deny that. But am I disappointed enough to even _think_ about leaving your side? Absolutely _not_ , Regina," he told her gently with a slow shake of his head and her eyes fell to his chest and she sunk in to the cold tiles behind her but still didn't let him go.

"We have two _wonderful_ boys, Regina. I have _you_. I do not need anything more."

"You want more."

"But I do not need it. I am so utterly happy here with you right now and I cannot _possibly_ imagine myself any happier. And if we so decide, we can adopt. Or...get a dog," he teased and she gave a sudden laugh that was paired with tears and a sob that immediately had him comforting her.

"Heeyy," he breathed softly and moved the hand from her hair back to her face, "we are going to be okay. We are going to be more than okay."

"But I want to make you happy," she insisted and was grateful for the water of the shower hiding the true amount of her tears.

"You do make me happy," he promised but she hadn't yet said what she needed to say so his words didn't matter yet.

"I _want_ to give you children, I want to give you as _many_ as you want, I want you to have that but I can't give you any of that and it _kills_ me that I can't. I _hate_ that I can't!" She cried to him but still couldn't quite look him in the eye. She felt ashamed and unworthy and then he was cradling her face in his hands as if she was the most precious thing in the world and with a slight shift of her weight on his toes, she made herself look at him and hung her hands from his wrists.

"Do not put such weight on your shoulders, my love. You are no less important, you are no less beautiful, you are no less precious, and you are no less _loved_. It has changed _nothing_ about how I feel about you. But if it truly means so much to you then we can look in to ways to reverse what has been done. But only if you are doing it for you. Not for me," he shook his head and she nodded as she rolled her lips in to her mouth and closed her eyes.

He was going to leave it there but something was going on in that brain of hers that made him pause. Something that made him forget all over again that his wet clothes were sticking to his skin in the most annoying way. "What else is bothering your beautiful mind?" He asked softly as his thumbs gently rubbed her cheeks and her brow furrowed.

"I want to marry you," she breathed and her heart flew in to a panic and shivers tore through her entire body. She felt like she was going to be sick she was so terrified of what she had just admitted. And then he started to laugh. A quiet and tender sound leaving his kind mouth and it baffled her.

"You precious woman," he laughed as his heart bloomed with warmth and love. And then he took his hands from her face and fussed with his pockets, fighting with the sodden fabric to pull out a small velvet box and lift it between their chests, "will you ever allow me the opportunity to get ahead of you, my love," he chuckled and she closed her eyes and tipped her head back against the tiles as she laughed a low and emotional laugh. She was most definitely amused though.

"I believe the question goes without saying, and I believe I already know your answer, and while I am sorry to have missed asking you in front of Snow just to watch her hopelessly fawn over you," he rocked his head and she shook hers. "It seems like right now is a far better suited moment. So, Regina, my love, troubled and naked and wet, will you marry me?" He asked tenderly with a wide smile as he opened the box to reveal the ring.

"You are _such_ an idiot," she laughed and cried up to the ceiling with her eyes closed and her emotional state completely compromised. And then with a deep breath and tears rolling down her cheeks, she lifted her head from the tiles and laughed, "yes I will marry you."

She didn't even get to see the ring before he was kissing her. But she didn't care. She was overwhelmed and engaged. She didn't think that she would ever get married again. She had always hoped in the deepest parts of herself that one day she would marry a man she loved but she never believed it would ever happen. So she gripped his face in her hands as she stood on her toes once more and cried against his mouth as he laughed against hers. "I love you," she breathed and ignored the fact that the water was starting to lose its heat.

"I love you," he told her and then kissed her again. Then followed with a sequence of short kisses until she was laughing and hugging her arms around his neck.

"You are getting my ring wet."

"Well we can't have that," he teased and then kissed her once more and made sure it lingered there.

"I want to fuck you," she purred and he hummed and she was sure there was a grin to go along with the sound.

"I don't think we should try that in here again," he noted as he recalled the last time when the pair of them nearly ended up in the hospital with a story they wouldn't dare tell Whale. She merely started laughing and pulled his face to hers for a kiss.

"The bed then," she smirked and he kissed her again.

"Much safer option," he nodded and she laughed and pulled his head down a little more so she could give him a proper kiss. And just when she had convinced him that staying put where they were was actually just fine, she broke away with a long teasing hum that had him sighing through his nose and tipping his head down to her for more. But he didn't get the chance to kiss that smirk of hers before she took the ring box from him, stepped off his boots, and left the shower with her promise in hand.

"Leave your clothes in there. Do not flood my house," she smirked and he laughed as she closed the door behind her and snatched a towel for herself. It was cold outside and away from him but while the chill was uncomfortable, she was more focused on how it felt to have her worries and fears taken away by the notorious thief.

...

He was warm. He was more than warm. He was hot. He was hot and his breath was even more so as she stretched her head back and he panted against her throat. Her eyes were closed as a low moan resonated deep in her chest while his cock hit all the right places inside her and she couldn't get enough of him.

She was moving slow. Not too slow to lose the attention of her darling thief but slow enough for her to thoroughly lose herself in him. His lips dragged up her throat and her hips swivelled as she came down a little harder on him and scraped her fingers over his scalp before pulling on his hair. Then his hands were roaming her back, big and warm hands savouring her every curve and at the pressure of his hand on the small of her back, she rocked her hips in to his abdomen.

Pleasure shot through every nerve and coursed through every vein and when she brought her head back up she was face to face with him and panting his same breath. "You feel so good," she breathed against his lips and he tried to kiss her but they were both so enveloped in one another that it was a sloppy attempt. Neither one of them cared.

"You are beautiful," he breathed and she hummed in delight and it drew out in to a moan as his hands helped guide her hips down on to him. And then they were gripping her ass and roaming her thighs while her breaths adopted a slight whine with each one. She truly was the most beautiful woman he had ever known and she was all his. His and his alone. He had no words to describe how honoured he was by it. Or how proud he was to be hers.

And she was far too good at sex for her own good. Even though he preferred fucking her a little harder, he had done so prior to where they were now and he was still absolutely enthralled with her. Completely obsessed with remembering everything that made her moan and quiver and dig her nails in. He loved her and his head was spinning with the pleasure she was giving him. The heat of her breath against his lips was only fogging his mind further. He loved it.

"I am going to marry you," she told him on a long exhale as her body shivered with a new wave of pleasure. And then she kissed him and raked her fingers through his hair as she pressed herself flush against him. Soft breasts pressed against a hard chest, a thin and lithe stomach sliding against his thick muscles. The very epitome of feminine and masculine fitting together perfectly.

Robin moaned in to her mouth as his hands heavily explored her body once more, "you are mine."

"Come with me," she breathed and flexed her fingers in his hair before taking a new grip and holding on tight.

Already on his knees with her straddling his lap, Robin slid his hands down her figure and took hold of the back of her thighs so that when he stood on his knees, she seamlessly went with him. With her legs hooked around his hips, her hands in his hair, and his cock still buried deep inside her, he turned them and pinned her to the headboard and she was already rocking her hips for more of him.

So he kissed her and drove in a little harder but not truly any faster. Not until her hands were shaking and his name became a heady mantra on her lips.

 **Five weeks later**

"You okay?" David frowned as he walked in to Regina's office and found her bent over her desk and taking deep breaths while her knuckles turned white with their grip on the edge of her desk.

"I'm fine."

"You don't look fine."

"I'm _fine_ ," she snapped and David lifted his hands in surrender when she was finally able to compose herself well enough to look at him. It wasn't well enough though and another wave of nausea hit her hard enough for her to whimper a little as she pressed her eyes closed. "Why are you here?"

"Emma sent me over for an old case file she said you were helping her on. Also Henry and Robin had both mentioned you've been feeling a little under the weather lately. Especially in the mornings. Well, throughout the day but mostly in the morning. And it's morning, so..." he shrugged as he settled himself back against the edge of her desk.

"It's nothing."

"Yes, because 'nothing' is enough to incapacitate the almighty Evil Queen," he smirked with a raise of his brows and she scowled at him. But the action of moving her head to look at him was still too much and she was quick to put her head back down with a small and pained moan. So he watched her for a moment or two with a cock of his head and then placed a travel mug of tea on her desk with a distinct chink of metal on glass. She merely groaned in annoyance.

"I don't want it."

"It'll make you feel better," he assured and after a few moments of silence, she took a deep breath and slowly stood up tall with her eyes closed and her hand outstretched. So with a smile, David picked up the travel mug and put it in her hand and she took a sip.

"That's disgusting."

"Keep drinking," he instructed and she obeyed with her face scrunched.

It was disgusting. It was overwhelming ginger that burned her tongue and nose and it made her want to gag along with whatever herbal concoction he had had mixed in there. But she drank it anyway for she really had no better options. And then when she was about halfway done, she realized she did in fact feel better. The nausea wasn't gone but her stomach had calmed and was no longer churning and when she opened her eyes the office was no longer spinning and David was still leaning back against the edge of her desk. She was afraid to move and ruin everything.

"What is this?"

"Oh a whole assortment of stuff. Took a long time to perfect the recipe," David shrugged and she glanced at him before looking back at the silver mug. And then he reached in to his pocket, "these also help as a distraction too."

Regina frowned and looked at the small handful of hard candies in his offered hand, each individually wrapped, "candy?" She questioned and he nodded, "your answer to nausea is _candy_?"

"They're strong flavours. A good way to keep you distracted. Peppermints work well too. Or at least they seemed to work for Snow. But the real trick for her was the tea."

"...What are you talking about?"

"Morning sickness," he answered plainly with a halfhearted shrug, "what are you talking about?"

"I'm not pregnant, David!" She snapped in disbelief but he was not convinced.

"No of course not. You're just throwing up every morning, hormonal as hell, and have grown a full cup size just because you felt like it," he mocked and she shook her head and scoffed and then looked down at her breasts, "I mean unless you are playing with magic for Robin's sake..." He offered as a joke and lifted a hand in surrender as he put the candies on her desk, "I'm not judging."

"It is like you are _asking_ me to throw this at you," she snapped bitterly and David laughed at her and the mug of hot tea.

"Relax, Regina," he soothed but couldn't stop the laugh in his throat, "it was a joke."

"Which one? The boob job or the pregnancy?" She sneered and he laughed.

"The boob job," he chuckled and then leapt away from her when she moved to fling the tea over him, "whoa, hey!"

"I am not pregnant, David! Don't play games with me!"

"I'm not!"

"You _know_ I can't get pregnant! There is no _way_ you can share a bed with that idiot girl without having heard _all_ of my deepest secrets! Do you think this is funny!?"

"No! Hey, hey hey! Regina! Relax!" He tried to soothe and put his hands out in front of him when she threatened once more to burn him with tea, "I heard you were having a rough time, I just wanted to help! I didn't know Snow hadn't told you!"

"Told me what?!"

"She undid your curse!" He answered quickly and Regina stopped dead in her tracks and looked at him as though he was speaking in tongues. "She undid it. She mixed the water of Lake Nostos in to your hot chocolate that night you and Robin fought. She was under a similar curse for a short period of time and that was the only thing that freed her of it. She didn't tell you what she did because she didn't want to get your hopes up in case it didn't work but I had assumed she had told you as soon as were pregnant," he explained quickly but carefully and Regina blinked at him in bewilderment and shock. He hoped for the good kind of shock but he knew who he was talking to. There was no way he was getting off that easy. He hadn't exactly broken the surprise to her in the best way.

"You and your wife," she started with a slow and dangerous tone and a finger pointed at him, "knocked me up?"

"...Well when you say it like that...I didn't really play any part in it, I just shadowed."

"What in the actual hell, David!"

"I'm sorry! I thought you were just being stubborn and not wanting to tell people! I thought Snow had told you! If I had know she hadn't I would have gone about telling you in a _completely_ different manner!"

"...Oh..." Snow stuttered out as her pleasant smile vanished in to panic and horror and her steps faltered in to an abrupt halt. Immediately Regina had swung her head toward the sound of her voice and once she met her dark eyes, Snow gave her a wide grin that was all teeth and apology as she shrunk back and Regina fumed.

"Not the time, Snow," David warned and his wife gave a nervous laugh and took a step back with her hands up.

She had just come to tell Regina herself. She had had it all planned out and was going to ease her in to the idea but it appeared as though she had missed her chance to break the news gently. And now her heart was beating a mile a minute with her panic and dread. She should have told her long ago, "I am sorry I didn't tell you, I-"

"I'm going to kill you," Regina promised as she stepped forward and Snow stepped back with her hands still raised. But her arm was caught by David and her attack denied, "let go of me!"

"Snow," he scolded and she glanced at him before looking back to a snarling Regina. Then she bent her knees a little and pulled her face in to a further apology and quickly backed out of the office and made her leave. "There," he nodded and let go of her arm, "murder target gone."

"Out of sight, not gone."

"True. I guess."

"How long have you two idiots known this?!"

"Like three weeks...ish..." He told her hesitantly and she scoffed in utter disbelief and spun half a circle so her back was facing him. "She was only trying to help you and Robin. After everything she put you through she was trying to give you something good. And it worked!" He tried to flip the conversation and cheer her up but he knew he was sprinting through a minefield.

"And did either of you stop to think that I wasn't ready to have children?!" She yelled as she spun back around, "you can't just go skipping around behind people's back getting them pregnant!"

"And there will most definitely be a firm conversation between Snow and me," he nodded and she huffed furiously. "But back to the not being ready thing. Are you serious? Have you seen Henry and Roland? You are amazing with children. You are a brilliant mother and incredibly family orientated. It's like you were born to do it. You don't need to 'be ready', you just do it as if you are breathing. So you can't use that as an excuse to be mad that you're pregnant," he noted and tried not to smirk too much over the fact that she had calmed down to the Regina he had grown to love spending time with.

"I'm not mad that I may be pregnant, I'm mad that you two spiked my drink and neglected to tell me!" she bit and he shrugged.

"Fair."

"You are both idiots," she snarled and he smirked.

"Stop whining and drink your tea," he teased with a rock of his head.

"Get out of my office before I like you again," she snarled and he laughed and started to make his leave but first reached forward and put his hands on her arms just below her shoulders.

"Congratulations," he smiled and she crossed her jaw to try an keep her scary face intact, "I am excited for you. And I am sorry we blindsided you. I sincerely hope that you can find it within the deepest most secret parts of your black heart to forgive us for such treason against you."

"I am rather sure I told you to leave before I like you again."

"I am pretty sure it's too late for that," he smirked and she pursed her lips in a smile, "I'll even go and buy you a pregnancy test if you like. Avoid the rumours that are bound to come with you or Robin doing such a thing. Engaged or not, they'd be quite the rumours."

"How very charming of you."

"I know," he teased with a grin and she breathed a laugh and rolled her eyes.

"...It would be much appreciated though..."

"It's the least I can do," he smiled and she let out a long sigh and for the first time he watched her hand rub over her stomach and her forearm settle there in anxious anticipation of what was to become of her. It made him smile a little wider and then he put a finger under her chin to lift it and she didn't hesitate to comply to his touch. And then he pulled his smile just a little higher, "I'll be right back."

...

"Hello," Robin called in to the house as he came through the front door. He didn't get an answer but it only made him smile as he walked in with an armful of groceries and gently kicked the door closed behind him. Silence just meant they were all invested in some other activity that was making them happy. It was only when he made it up in to the foyer that he saw anyone and she was standing off to his left in the living room, "how was your day?" He smiled as he put the bags of groceries on the dining room table.

"It was...unforeseen."

"Oh?" He chuckled and then turned and made his way to her, "how so?" He smiled and stepped up to her.

"David brought us some news..."

"Good news?" He asked curiously and she didn't answer him. Instead she simply stated at him as her mind worked and then she looked down and her eyes followed the odd white stick she lifted between them. "What is it?" He frowned and cocked his head at it.

"A pregnancy test," she told him and watched as his frown pulled deeper as he analyzed the symbol.

"...It has a positive mark on it...?"

"The other three do as well," she murmured with a frown and then turned the stick back to herself so she could look at the lines once more.

"Well...what does that mean?"

"It means that I am pregnant, Robin," she stayed plainly and there was a handful of seconds where he remained dead silent. And then there was a guffaw of confused and ecstatic laughter that made her heart blip in excitement. She hadn't really found the time to be excited she had been at such a loss over what to do.

"But you told me you couldn't."

"It would appear that Snow White was privy to a cure and slipped it in to my hot chocolate without my knowledge," she sighed and studied the stick with one corner of her mouth pinched.

"So you really are pregnant?" He grinned as he stepped a little closer and her brow furrowed at the odd stick before she dropped her arm down and lifted her head to look him in the eye, her brow never smoothing.

"Yes," she stated for it was a fact but she still couldn't quite believe it. She had long since resigned herself to never being such a thing. But she was. And then suddenly she was being lifted off the ground and a startled whoop of laughter left her lips and joined Robin's as her hugged her up around her waist and spun her full circle. His laughter was infectious and she wrapped her arms around his neck and bent her knees up as he spun her around one more time before putting her back down and keeping her close.

"We are going to have a baby," he cooed in absolute adoration of her as he lifted his hands and placed them on either side of her face with such a tenderness that she must have been made of spun sugar. He didn't think he had ever seen a more beautiful smile on her face than what he was looking at right then. Her whole world was coming together. All of her hope and dreams and desires, finally falling in to place. He knew that.

"And it explains so much," he laughed and she laughed with him knowing he was commenting on her mood swings and various other unpleasantries he had had to endure over the past several weeks. "I wanted to ask but I didn't want to upset you," he laughed and tucked her hair behind her ears so he could better see her happy face, "I love you so much."

"I love you too," she laughed and he hummed when he saw the tears of utter joy start to gloss her eyes. She was getting married to the man she loved. Not a king, not a prince, not a noble, but an arrogant and kind thief who stole her heart and never looked back. She was marrying him and now against all odds she was pregnant with his child and she could not recall a time where she had been more happy. She really and truly could not believe that everything was so perfect, "we are going to have a baby."

"Yes we are."


End file.
